Lexical Summary hagig: Meditation, murmuring, musing Original Word: הָגִיג Strong's Exhaustive Concordance meditation, musing From an unused root akin to hagah; properly, a murmur, i.e. Complaint -- meditation, musing. see HEBREW hagah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition a whisper, musing, murmuring NASB Translation groaning (1), musing (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs הָגִיג noun [masculine] murmuring (Che), whisper, musing (on form compare BaNB 136) — only suffix הֲגִיגִי 1 Psalm 5:2 ׳בִּינָה ה understand my murmuring (whispering, faint utterance), addressed to ׳י. 2 Psalm 39:4 בַּהֲגִיגִי in my musing i.e. while I was musing. הַגֻּדְגֹּ֫דָה see below גדד p. 151. Topical Lexicon Scriptural Usageהָגִיג appears twice in the Psalter, both times in contexts that reveal the interior life of the worshiper before God. In Psalm 5:1 the psalmist pleads, “Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning,” underscoring that God listens not only to articulated petitions but also to inaudible sighs. Psalm 39:3 places the same term in a moment of restrained passion: “My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue.” The word thus spans the spectrum from wordless lament to fervent contemplation that finally breaks into speech. Semantic Range and Imagery Though infrequent, the term paints a rich picture. It evokes: • Inarticulate sighs—the soundless cries of a burdened soul. Both occurrences bind emotion to reflection, showing that biblical meditation is not cold analysis but a dynamic process in which feeling and thought interact under the gaze of God. Theological Themes 1. God’s attentiveness to unspoken prayer Psalm 5:1 assures believers that the LORD weighs even the inaudible stirrings of the heart. The theme resonates with Romans 8:26, where the Spirit “intercedes for us with groans too deep for words,” revealing a unity between Testaments in divine responsiveness to wordless petitions. 2. The sanctifying power of internal reflection Psalm 39:3 illustrates how meditation can ignite holy zeal. The inward “fire” is not self-generated enthusiasm but the effect of pondering truths in God’s presence, paralleling Jeremiah 20:9 where the prophet describes the word of the LORD as “a fire shut up in my bones.” 3. Integrity in worship By highlighting interiority, הָגִיג rebukes mere outward religion. True worship joins external liturgy with internal sincerity (Psalm 51:6; John 4:24). Historical Context Within ancient Israelite worship, psalms functioned as both corporate hymns and personal prayers. The inclusion of הָגִיג indicates that the liturgical tradition valued authentic emotional engagement. Post-exilic Judaism, with its emphasis on prayer amid the absence of temple sacrifice, would have found in such language a template for heartfelt devotion. Rabbinic literature later stressed kavanah—intentionality of the heart—in prayer, an outlook already foreshadowed by this term. Connections to the Wider Canon • Meditation on Torah: While Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:2 employ a cognate verb, the noun הָגִיג underscores that meditation is substantive, not merely an act. Applications for Ministry and Personal Devotion 1. Encouraging silent prayer meetings or reflective pauses in corporate worship honors the biblical pattern of unuttered groaning reaching God’s throne. Conclusion Though rare, הָגִיג reveals much about the biblical view of worship: authentic engagement begins in the hidden chambers of the heart, moves through thoughtful meditation, and culminates in speech or action aligned with God’s will. Its twofold appearance in the Psalms invites every generation to bring both sigh and reflection before the LORD, trusting that He attends to the deepest stirrings of His people. Forms and Transliterations בַּהֲגִיגִ֥י בהגיגי הֲגִֽיגִי׃ הגיגי׃ ba·hă·ḡî·ḡî bahagiGi bahăḡîḡî hă·ḡî·ḡî haGigi hăḡîḡîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 5:1 HEB: יְהוָ֗ה בִּ֣ינָה הֲגִֽיגִי׃ NAS: O LORD, Consider my groaning. KJV: O LORD, consider my meditation. INT: LORD Consider my groaning Psalm 39:3 2 Occurrences |
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